Kempton Racing - Coral Roseberry Stakes Betting Preview

At last, the turf Flat season beckons! Don't get me wrong, I love jump racing. But, having had the stuffing well and truly knocked out of me during the Cheltenham Festival week, I'm looking forward to the return of some decent action on the level and Saturday's card at Kempton makes for a decent curtain raiser.The feature of the meeting is the Coral Roseberry Stakes (3.25) and I reckon there's a good chance that DUMARAN can go one better than his second-place in this race last year.His trainer Willie Musson reports the seven-year-old to be in good form, and he should be spot-on for this race after having a spin on the all-weather at the beginning of the month. Although he came home last of eight behind Sri Diamond in that contest, it was clearly an outing designed to blow away the cob webs for this race, and a fitter, sharper Dumaran will turn out on Saturday.This is the time to catch Dumaran, as he appreciates a bit of give in the ground, which he demonstrated when running the smart Silence Is Golden to three parts of-a-length in last year's renewal of this heritage handicap. On that occasion, Dumaran had Blythe Knight two necks away in fourth, yet meets the latter on 13lb better terms this time around. There is a plethora of runners that like to set the pace or race prominently entered, which could set the race up for a come-from-behind performer like Dumaran, who is set to be ridden by the very able apprentice Andrew Mullen, who is extremely good value for his 7lb claim, and the 12-1 offered by Bet 365 and Ladbrokes is too good to miss.Blythe Knight ran a corker on his all-weather bow in the Winter Derby at Lingfield last weekend where he finished well to claim the runners up spot behind easy winner Eccentric. That was a sound effort, but the handicapper was watching, bumping Ed Dunlop's charge up 7lb, leaving him 10lb higher than his career-high winning mark.Kew Green has been in good heart on the all-weather and is in with a shout if translating that form to turf, although I'd be surprised if he were quite good enough, while St Andrews is a smart horse on his day and will relish any easing of the ground, but is expected to be in need of the run, so may be best watched this time. At a bigger price, I'd recommend a small saver on TUNING FORK at 25-1 with the sponsors. For the most part, his form over the past couple of season's does little to instil confidence, but the ex-Henry Cecil-trained gelding is going to pop up at a big price one day and I'd be loathe to miss out when he does. Indeed, if he reproduces the form of his 3¼l third to Ancient World in the William Hill Mile at Glorious Goodwood last July, he would go close here, especially as he's now 8lb lower in the ratings. Don't forget, this is the horse that finished second in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York in May 2003, and, while he's never going to reach that level of form again, a big run looks on the cards here with conditions to suit.Betting verdict - 1pt win Dumaran @ 12-1 (Bet 365, Ladbrokes); and 0.50pts e/w Tuning Fork @ 25/1 (VCBet)